Have you ever stumbled onto an article that made you stop and wonder, "what in the world next?" Well prepare to get goose bumbs, the founder of the Ansari X-Prize, Peter Diamandis, has announced intentions for ROCKET RACING! Oh yes!
As it stands the races are scheduled to start as early as October 2006, with an exhibition race showcasing four "X-Racers". In a statement Diamandis said he hopes to "inspire people of all ages to once again look up into the sky and find inspiration and excitement," wth this new project.
The specs for the rocket planes have not yet been released except to say that the fuel will be limited to four minutes worth and will be a combination liquid oxygen and kerosene. Four minutes may not seem very long but the idea is to require pilots to shut there engines off in mid-flight and glide a substantial part of the two mile long, one mile wide course.
It is rare that I stumble upon an idea that has the potential to change its industry as raceing cars has changed the auto industry. Remember that most staples of the modern automobile, like disc brakes and fuel injection, had their starts in racing.
With its combination of naturally high levels of competition and the budgets of those that can afford close to $1 million for an X-Racer, this new breed of sport should bring with it a plethora of new technologies and advancements in the aerospace field.
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